Did you know?
More and more autistic people disagree with the April 2nd designation, World Autism Awareness Day. They believe that acceptance matters more than awareness. You can follow their reasons at #RedInstead, #ActuallyAustistic, and #autismacceptancemonth.
Autistic people chose the colour red to protest organizations who use the colour blue to promote awareness, while raising money for a cure. They don’t want “neuro-typicals” to speak on their behalf. They ask that you pay attention to autistic people. They want to be accepted for who they are. They do not want to be cured.
Three books by autistic people are:
Yaniv Janson’s art book, Please do Touch. The book connects art with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and disability. “A Happy Sea” that begins this Digest is from that series.
Naoki Higashida’s The Reason I Jump. It was written when Higashida was 13 years old. It features his answers to 58 questions about his autism. It is now a major motion picture.
John Elder Robinson’s memoir Look me in the Eye. Robinson is a Neurodiversity Scholar in Residence, at William and Mary College.
Artwork:
“A Happy Sea” by New Zealand artist Yaniv Janson. www.YanivJanson.com